By Vanny Whitchelo
With the unprecedented and ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the requirement that we exercise physical distancing from everyone outside our household, many of us won’t be able to enjoy a meal or spend time with the incredible woman who raised us this Mother’s Day.
But you can still try and make it a special day for her. For starters, your mother may appreciate one or more of the wines recommended here. They’re from wineries led by women who are also raising families. Perhaps one of these women, their stories, or quotes remind you of your strong mother.
And if you want to go that extra step, prepare a meal for her or order takeout from her favourite local restaurant to enjoy with her special wine. Order or pick up a bouquet of flowers and have it all ready for her at her doorstep.
As for pairings? I’ve got you covered there, too.
For the mom who loves to support local
“Being a mom to my three growing boys is an incredible experience. They’re kind, creative, focused, and have a fun-loving wild side that keeps me on my toes!” – Justine Lakeit
Justine and sons
Justine Lakeit and her sister are the second generation at Caroline Cellars, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I first met Justine during my first year at Western University. Today, Justine oversees the front of house operations and customer service at Caroline Wine Cellars’ tasting bar and boutique as well as the winery’s restaurant, The Farmhouse Café. She’s also a mom to three boys, ranging from 8 to 17 years old.
Caroline Cellars makes VQA Ontario wines, which guarantees you’re purchasing a wine that meets certain wine making and tasting standards, and all the grapes are from Ontario. Yes, there are Canadian wines that contain grapes grown elsewhere and in this case you’d see “Cellared in Canada” on the label.
Caroline Cellars’ VQA wines are quaffable at accessible prices. For Mother’s Day, I’m thinking pink – the Farmer’s Rosé. It’s a nice standalone spring/summer sipper with its fresh red fruit notes, but would also complement food well, such as roast turkey or chicken, Chinese stir-fry noodles, and brunch.
Where to buy: At the winery boutique in Niagara-on-the-Lake and currently on sale for $12.50. Caroline Cellars is also offering four Mother’s Day gift packs, two of which include the Farmer’s Rosé. Order deadline is May 7, 2020 for the gift packs.
For the movie-loving mom
“You know why we don’t hear about famous women in history? Because the history books were written by men.” – Eleanor Coppola
Coppola Winery: Sofia Rosé
Eleanor Coppola is the co-owner of Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Sonoma, California. Although the must-visit destination winery is named after her famous husband, she herself has an impressive resume. The mother and grandmother is an accomplished filmmaker, director, and author. She is best known for her 1991 documentary film Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.
As for wine here, I’m thinking pink again. It is rosé season, after all! Named after the Coppolas’ daughter, the Sofia Rosé bottle and label are a pleasure to look at and the wine is equally as pleasurable to taste. Some strawberries, floral, citrus and mineral notes make it another great one on its own, though it would pair wonderfully with salmon, roast chicken, or pork. If your mom leans more toward white wines, the Diamond Collection Gold Label Chardonnay would go well with these, too. It’s a great food wine!
Where to buy: Both the Rosé ($24.95) and Chardonnay ($23.95) are available at LCBOs in the Hamilton area.
For the oenophile mom
“There’s a consistency to our wines, but it’s not because of a recipe, it’s because the vineyards are so solid.” – Ashley Hepworth
Joseph Phelps: Cabernet Sauvignon
Ashley Hepworth is a mother of two and the winemaker at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, a family-owned winery in Napa, California that has been crafting world class, estate-grown wines for over 40 years. It’s iconic and the prices of their wines reflect this. Serious wine lovers who’ve tasted their wines won’t deny this: one sip of any of their wines and it’s one of the most delicious experiences you’ve tasted, particularly their flagship wine Insignia ($425 and yes that’s 750ml). Did you just gasp?
Let’s talk about a more affordable option. The Cabernet Sauvignon ($119) will still make your mother want to savour every sip. Though she can enjoy the available 2016 vintage now (remind her to decant the wine for a couple hours prior, but I’m sure she probably knows to do that!), it’s the sort of wine she’d want to cellar for a few years. This is a big, serious red so the food has to be able to compete with that. Steak, lamb, and venison are excellent pairings for this.
Where to buy: The Cabernet Sauvignon is available at LCBOs in the Hamilton area. You’ll have to venture outside Hamilton and Burlington a bit to get your hands on a bottle of Insignia.
If you have any wine questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Send me a message on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Let me know what you end up doing for your mom!
Vanny is a wine writer and marketer based in Vancouver, BC. She has a lot of love for her hometown, Hamilton, ON where she grew up. Vanny can easily be tracked down in the Hamilton area one or two times a year visiting family, friends, and exploring the Niagara wine region. Her interest in wine was ignited while working in the hospitality industry during her university years.
In 2012, Vanny decided to formally pursue wine studies taking the internationally recognized WSET program starting with level 1. She is now WSET 3 Certified and an Italian Wine Scholar. She is currently enrolled in the French Wine Scholar program with the Wine Scholar Guild. Vanny and her husband have a 2.5 year old daughter and are expecting their second child in August 2020.
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